BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A couple who were among three people who set fire to themselves in a car in central Beijing on Wednesday were still under medical observation in a hospital Friday, a hospital official said.

    The man aged 59, was in a dangerous condition, said Liang Xueya, an official with the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, while the woman, aged 58, was in a stable condition. They were both conscious, said Liang.

    The hospital is monitoring the man's situation and has made preparations for any emergency.

    The man, who was seriously burnt, had swelling to his throat and head and a severely injured respiratory tract. His wife, who was less severely injured, had some of her fingers seriously burnt, the hospital said Wednesday.

    The two were among three people who set fire to themselves inside a car at the southern end of Wangfujing street Wednesday afternoon, at its junction with Chang'an Avenue, less than two kilometers east of Tiananmen Square.

    The Beijing government information office has said "the three people came to Beijing for personal petitions."

    The office mentioned nothing about the third person during a statement Wednesday.

Two hospitalized after car fire in downtown Beijing

    BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing government information office has provided Xinhua with a statement on the car fire which occurred downtown Wednesday afternoon.

    It said two of the three people, who were inside the car, were hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries.Full story